Here’s what we discovered: Test Kitchen Discoveries Combine canned crushed and diced tomatoes for a rich flavor and thick texture. Flavor the sauce simply with red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Cook the pepper flakes along with the garlic in extra-virgin olive oil to intensify their flavor. Use fresh mini balls of mozzarella. If you can’t find the small balls, larger balls can be cut into small cubes. Low-moisture mozzarella, the shrink-wrapped stuff, won’t taste nearly as good in this dish. Liberally season the water in which the pasta is cooked; otherwise the pasta will taste bland. We recommend 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon of water. Look for fresh mini mozzarella balls in the gourmet cheese section of your supermarket.